This invention relates to vacuum cleaners generally, and more specifically to such cleaners which have flexible bags for containing dirt and debris picked up by the vacuum apparatus from the floor.
During the performance of floor cleaning duties, the operator may discover relatively large items on the floor which may be considered undesirable for pickup by the cleaner mechanism itself. It is desirable to manually pick such items up and accumulate them for subsequent disposal.
In addition, and during the vacuum cleaning operation, stains or spots may be observed on a carpet which, of course, should be removed promptly.
The present invention is directed to the concept of assisting the cleaner operator by making quickly available a container for placement of debris which has been manually removed from the floor, as well as a device for holding other readily needed equipment such as aerosol cans of spot cleaner.
In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a pocket is formed on the lower exterior portion of the vacuum cleaner bag facing the operator and machine handle, with the pocket having a lip at its upper end which extends substantially across the entire bag width. The pocket functions to receive and store debris manually removed from the floor for later disposal.
In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a removable caddy is provided for holding other desired equipment. The caddy includes a pair of expandable pockets and a rear flap which extends downwardly over the aforementioned lip and into the bag pocket. The caddy hangs freely from the said lip and is held in position by the vertically extending vacuum cleaner handle.